Do’s and Don’ts for Chronic Pain Relief

Tips and Treatments to Feel Better Now

Living with chronic pain can knock you flat. One day the ache is a "4" and you're able to handle normal tasks; the next it's a "9," and all you want to do is lie down. But that's not the right move, chronic pain management experts say. There's a lot you can do for chronic pain relief...

About 50-75 million Americans live with chronic pain that lasts beyond the normal healing time. It can be triggered by an illness, an ongoing condition such as arthritis or cancer, or an injury.

“For example, curcumin – found in turmeric, the herb used in curry – is a great anti-inflammatory and can be eaten in food or taken in capsules,” explains Susan Blum, M.D., assistant clinical professor of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and founder of the Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, N.Y.

“Ginger [also] can bring chronic pain relief in food or as a supplement,” she says.

So can eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish (like tuna and salmon), nuts, seeds and flaxseed oil. Or you can opt for 1,000 milligrams (mg) to 1,200 mg of fish oil supplements per day, says Alpana Gowda, M.D., co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Pain Relief (Alpha), chronic pain management physician and clinical instructor in pain medicine at Stanford University.

Some supplements, such as boswellia serrata, devil’s claw and magnesium, have pain-relieving properties too, Blum adds.

“I’ll often give patients magnesium supplements to relax muscles,” Blum says. “Foods such as whole grains, nuts, black beans and spinach are high in magnesium – but they don’t contain enough to get the job done.”

The key is getting the right magnesium supplement, she says.

“Magnesium citrate can cause loose stools and is often used to treat constipation,” Blum warns. “For muscle relaxation, I give magnesium glycinate – a chelated form that doesn’t have the bowel effect.”

If you have muscle pain, “soaking in a bath with Epsom salts can increase magnesium levels in the body, which promotes muscle relaxation,” Blum says.

Some people with arthritis pain or musculoskeletal pain use topical creams with capsaicin, a well-studied pain reliever derived from hot peppers.

You'll know if your body is hydrated enough when your urine is clear, not bright yellow.

3.Don’t stop moving.Chronic pain is no excuse to skip workouts. Pain may make you want to rest, but exercise can provide chronic pain relief.

“Exercise, aerobic or otherwise, has cardiovascular benefits and increases flexibility,” Argoff says. “It releases of endorphins, which naturally help with chronic pain relief and make us feel better.”

The key is doing the right exercises for your body and condition, so talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

For example, if you have severe osteoporosis, it might be risky to lift weights. A low-impact workout, such as water exercises, might be easier on your bones, Argoff suggests.

Those with fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis also may find chronic pain relief with less intense, milder activities such as walking and stretching.

“Walking is [easier] on joints, such as ankles, knees and hips, [than] running or even biking, and walking on a flat path is something most people can do quickly and immediately,” Gowda says.4. Don’t work out too hard.“If your body isn’t used to regular exercise, the pain can flare for a couple of days, and you’ll have to miss out on conditioning because you can’t move,” Gowda explains.

That’s why you should use a heart rate monitor to gauge how hard you’re exercising, she advises. To find your target heart rate zone, first consult your doctor, then use a monitor to maintain pacing.

“If you aren’t trying to lose weight, you want your heart rate at a comfortable level,” Gowda says. “But most people overshoot rather than undershoot it.”

To calculate your heart rate without a monitor, take your pulse. Count the number of heartbeats in 10 seconds and multiply that by six.

“[I] advocate 20 minutes of stretching daily,” Gowda says. “That can be hard to do, but the easiest way is to go to a physical therapist [who will] start you on a home exercise program.”

Though it costs money and isn’t always covered by insurance, 1-3 sessions can jump-start you into a proper, problem-specific home-stretching program, she says.

6. Do get enough sleep.Skimp on sleep and you’ll not only be cranky and groggy, but you’ll also feel more aches and pains.

“A lot of the neural pathways are interconnected, so if you lack sleep, the same pain pathways are activated,” Gowda explains.

One way to get a good night’s rest: Establish proper sleep hygiene. This includes not watching TV in bed, not working in your bedroom, turning in and waking at the same time and avoiding naps during the day.

7. Do try alternative remedies.Meditation is a very effective chronic pain relief technique, according to a 2011 Wake Forest University study. Participants experienced a 40% reduction in pain intensity when they practiced mindfulness meditated while having an MRI scan.

8. Do try acupuncture.A 2012 study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that acupuncture is an effective treatment for chronic pain and a reasonable referral option.

9. Don’t sweat the small stuff.Stress aggravates pain.

“You may tighten or clench your jaw or raise your shoulders and be in a very guarded position when you’re stressed out,” Gowda says.

“These things can actually change the neural pathway firings in the brain, keeping you more susceptible to pain and heightening your perception of [it],” she adds.

10. Do get support – literally.Splints and supports are great tools for chronic pain relief, especially when you’re suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, knee pain, back pain and foot pain, because you can target the specific area of pain. They support muscles, protecting the area of injury or positioning the body so further injury doesn’t happen.

“A physician must diagnose the injury, because you need to have the proper splint/support, and it needs to be fitted and worn correctly,” Gowda explains. “If not, these things can actually cause more damage.”

How Bad Is Your Back Pain?So your back hurts? Take our back pain quiz to see how severe it really is. You may need to see a doctor but have just been avoiding it, thinking it will get better. On the other hand, your back pain may be more normal than you suspect. Find out where your back pain ranks in this back pain quiz.

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